CarWash Safety 101 with Mike Benmosche

Mike Benmosche, National Car Wash Program Specialist of McNeil and Company writes about how best safety practices at the wash can keep your employees and customers safe as well as help you maintain a cost effective insurance policy.

Monday, July 13, 2015

An arc flash, or arc blast,
is a type of electrical explosion that results from a low-impedance connection
to ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system. The results are
often violent and can lead to serious injury, or death, when someone is near.

At this time, I would like to
introduce John Albanese. John is an IBEW member of almost 20 years and a
service tech assigned to respond to and repair electrical emergencies. He works
with and around live electricity every day, with voltages ranging from 12 V to
34,500 V. He also works regularly in the Car Wash Industry. Recently he
disclosed a story that is definitely worth sharing. The following is his
account of events that lead to a shocking and frightening situation that could
have turned out much worse than it did:

“The most devastating electrical incidents that I face are from arc
flash. When that phenomenon occurs, the center of the arc flash can reach
temperatures as high as 30,000°F. They happen completely without warning and
almost always when you least expect it.

I
was called to assist a customer that needed to tie into their 480 V switch gear
to power up a new line of battery chargers for their forklifts. Since this
facility is a 24/7 operation they wanted it done without power interruption to
the plant. When I arrived, the customer showed me where they had run
the conduit and wire, but were afraid to punch into the main gear. I knew I
would be working with live 480 V three-phase power, so I called for assistance
to have another qualified electrician with me. Once he arrived, we decided to
open the side of the gear to have a look at where the ground and neutral would
be tied in. I was going to remove the cover over the bus where the I - line
breaker was to be installed to make sure it was in good shape to accept the
breaker. The gear was old and untouched for many years, so my partner was
tapping on the screws of the side panel to break them loose. While he was doing
this, I started to remove the bus cover. All of a sudden there was a horrific
explosion. Less than a second later I found myself on my knees screaming. I
wasn't sure what happened initially. I
quickly realized what had transpired and wondered if I was hurt. I first felt
my face and it felt hard and my hair was crispy. I knew the power was out
because it was completely black, but then I realized it was more than that, I
was blind. I was scared, burnt, and blind and not sure where exactly I had
landed and what dangers may be next to me. I had to call for help. My partner took
my arm helped me up and led me back to my service truck to sit down.

I
was rushed to the hospital and somewhere along the way I got my vision back,
slowly creeping in from my Peripheral to my center vision. I was lucky; only
second degree burns on my face and some hair loss.

After
the investigation as to what had happened, it was discovered that the gear had
two 4 1/2 inch holes knocked out on the top. This facility handled thousands of
aluminum kegs every day. The banging of aluminum kegs had created an aluminum
dust which settled on top of everything inside the gear. When we started
banging on the screws it jarred the dust airborne and created a path for the
voltage. Aluminum dust is highly explosive, which compounded the explosion.

I
have always been safety oriented and felt that I was not in danger at that
point of our task. My gloves, flash suit, and face shield sat in a bag on the
bumper of my truck ready for use when I got to the point that I felt I needed
it.

Anytime
electricity is present there is a danger. I learned that no task is without the
potential for an unintentional occurrence. This is a great example of how something
totally unexpected can turn ugly fast. I should have been wearing my personal
protection equipment before I exposed the live internal parts of the switch
gear. Even with all my years of experience, my best lesson was not to ignore
the safety gear available.”

After reading this, I looked
up pictures of electrical burns on the web with the idea of showing a few
examples. I elected not to post any of these pictures due to the graphic and
disturbing nature.

Every time I write a blog I
try to put myself in the position of the reader. When I wrote this, I thought, “This
is serious and I’m certain many will think this can’t and won’t happen to them.”
I just hope that in the future, when you are working around electricity with
that casual attitude, you remember this story. John, a seasoned expert, didn’t
think it would happen either!

Section 5(a)(1) of the
Occupational Health and Safety Act states that employers "shall furnish to
each of his employees, employment and a place of employment which are free from
recognized hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause, death or serious
physical harm to his employees.” Arc flash is considered one of these
recognized hazards, and thus, failing to take proper steps to avoid arc flash
is a regulatory violation. Be sure your wash is in full compliance and has a
written program, if applicable.

It is important to not just
understand the dangers associated with arc flash, but to convey these dangers,
and how to protect against them, to everyone in your organization through
training. It is also important to make the use of protective equipment
mandatory in any situation where an employee would come in contact with
electricity. If it is not already, make this a written procedure in your safety
manual today!

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

In my
many years surveying car wash operations, I have found that too many operators
fail to provide formal training for ladder safety.I believe that many feel it is too basic a
subject and not worth the time and effort. Ladder safety is a simple issue that can turn serious very quickly if it is not addressed correctly. Still having
doubts? Consider the following incident:

Several
years ago, one of my clients experienced a $2,000,000 verdict due to a claim
involving an injury caused by a fall from a ladder.The case involved a vendor who was visiting
the property.The vendor needed a ladder
tall enough to reach the top of the roof and found that his ladder was too
short. Without consulting the operator, he searched and found a ladder to meet
his needs in a storage closet. Unbeknownst to him, this was a defective ladder
that was scheduled to be disposed of. While climbing to the top of the ladder,
a rung gave way, causing the vendor to fall and break his back.

Not
the operator’s fault, you say? The jury didn’t agree.There wasn’t a sign on the ladder stating
that it was defective. There wasn’t a warning sign on the equipment room door
showing entry was restricted to employees only. The ladder wasn’t even properly
secured. Also, without a written ladder program, the operator was in violation
of an OSHA standard. Don’t let something this easily avoidable happen to you.

The
following are some simple steps to establish an effective ladder safety
program:

1.Develop a written
ladder procedure. This should address minimum mandatory actions for the
selection, installation, maintenance and use of ladders.

2.Develop a training
schedule to ensure that all employees are given the proper information to
comply with your policy.

3.Schedule regular
ladder inspection sessions.

4.Assign a minimum of
two employees that will be responsible for the administration of this program.

5.Be certain that
there is a specific procedure for any vendor or contractor, while they are
visiting your locations.

6.Establish an
enforcement policy for your ladder program.

7.Design an easy-to-use checklist to assist employees with compliance.

8.Do not store
ladders near corrosive chemicals that may compromise the integrity of the
components.

9.Remember, aluminum
ladders can be conductors of electricity. Care should be taken when carrying
these around electrical wiring, particularly in equipment rooms and
tunnels.

Here
are a few pictures illustrating the incorrect use of ladders:

It’s
often difficult to engage employees when they think topics like ladder safety are common
sense. However, that is when they need training the most. When employees become
too comfortable with the process, it can breed a culture of complacency,
leading to carelessness and increasing the chances of avoidable accidents. Understanding
the basics of ladder safety will help keep your employees and visitors
safe.Often, safety is nothing more than
consistent reminders of common sense information!If you already have a plan in place, be sure
it meets the minimum criteria listed above.If you don’t, it is important that you create one today!